The Wool Market

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 245, 10 March 1888, Page 5

The Wool Market

The following interesting review of the wool market arrived with our Otago correspondent's monthly letter intended for publication in the issue for February, but it came to hand too late for insertion in that number.

The Wool Markkt. Although the series of this season's sales commenced last month, the parcels forward consisted entirely of small consignments from farmers to whom the prices realised have been unexpectedly satisfactory. Whatever may be paid to the con- j trary the avowed experience ot farmers 80 far has been " that their wool has brought from three farthings to Id pftr lb over last year's prices. Brokers and buyers agree that the small lots offered have been in better conditioa and better i skirted than has been previously known to be the case, but all the improvement in these respects admitted would not account for the more eager demand observable a'nd the higher scale of prices. Only a few months ago over-production of wool was the bugbear. The following tables, extracted from Helmuth Schwartze and Co. 'a Circular (London), admittedly the ' beat authority on the subject in the world, will show the estimated production of wools for the years 1887 and 1888.

The increase therefore during the two years from 1886 to 1888 will thus have been from 1,043,000,0001b to 1,057,000,0001b or leeß than 1 per cent, per annum. A highly important factor for consideration, is the proportionate demand for wool, and this is 6hown in the following table *.—. —

* Estimated ,as Above. ( From the above it will be seen tbat the production of wool per head of population has been stationary for the last three years, while there has been a decided tendency towards an increase in requirements, in a grent measure owing, to the growing preference for woollen fabrics for clothing. As has been already stated, during the first series of local ealeß of the season, prices showed an appieciable advance on those obtained at the corresponding period last year. New buyers were present and competition was noticeably active, although the, offerings coneisted mainly ot farmers 1 p mall cjipd. The second series opens on the 19|;h, for, which deliveries 1 of representative clips are extensive. The prevailing feeling isione of great confidence in results from a growers!, point of > view 1 , as-it is 'believed that wpol having thfe-peculiar characteristics of the- New Zealand produdt is wanted by manufacturers, and is not in abundant sup* ply this season, ,, ,t, t - •»,.*!

Pome jnio'thje garden, Maud, , » ;» i - .* u Where ,tWb gooseberry bloomp , on the goose. 1 Come, w&tdH'yd'ur^tfquisltio" Claude, *■ , » A nuisance foap with a nooee. t ,, : ; .• , For tne'tfuttorlne in its cup j „.»».•? ' With dreamy innocence lies, ' ' " " { And humps itself whilo summing up The annual death ol flicß.

verage 1850 2860 1861-65 1866-70 1871-75 1876-80 1881-83 1886 1887 Production clean scoured AVOOI. lb 514,000.000 610,000,000 664,000,000 766,000,000 822,000,000 865,000,000 952,00d,000 1,041,000,000 1,043,000.000* 1.057,000,000* * Population of Europe and North Ainer- ; ic*. 267,000,000 301,000,000 308,000,000 322,000,000 338,000,000 357,000,000 378,000,000 391.000.U00. 395,000.000. 399,000,000' Clean Woolpr head of pop'tion ~~lb 1*93 2-03 2*13 238 2*44 2*42 2-52 2-66 2*64* 265*

Clean Scoured Lbs. a. 'roduction in United Kingdom , % „ Continent „ „ North America .. mport« from Australasia „ „ South Africa . . „ River Plato „ „ Other Countries 102,000.000 300,000,000 162,000.000 226.000,000 40,000.000 129,000.000 98,000,800 1,057,000,000

Supplies op Clean Scoured Wool for 1888 {Estimated).

Clean scourc Lbe. Production in United Kingdom „ „ Continent „ North America., 'mports from Australasia „ „ jfauth Africa .. „ Hiver Plato .. „ „ Other Countries 102,000,000 209,000,000 162,000;000 215,000,000 40.000,000 126,000,000 98.000.C03 1,043,000,000

Supplies op Clean Scoured Wool for 1887 (Estimated).